Releasing the song "Push It" as a single was an excellent choice for the industrial metal group Static-X, since the track perfectly blends all the different elements the group has to offer: rhythmic, even robotic, riffing, an irresistible groove, Wayne Static's staccato growling and shouting, plus a subtle tongue-in-cheek attitude -- on "Push It," the group's self-dubbed "evil disco" is in full effect. The CD single offers a number of nice little extras: apart from a live version of "Bled for Days" (nice, but not too exciting), there is the previously unreleased studio track, "Down," which is crazy, frantic, and hilarious. Additionally, the single features two remixes of the title track: the "Death Trance Mix" by Fear Factory's John Bechdel, which emphasizes the electronic aspect of the group's sound and cleverly shifts the song's rhythmic pattern around, and the "Crucified Dub Mix" by Mephisto Odyssey, which nicely carries the listener away, with elements of the original track appearing, disappearing, and echoing while a infectious dub groove creates a trance effect. Furthermore, the disc has two videos to offer: a live video of "Bled For Days," which is nice, even though it has some heavy continuity problems (watch Wayne's clothes), and the excellent video clip for "Push It." Unfortunately, while the clips are presented in high quality, they cannot be watched full-screen. This, however, is the only point of criticism about this CD single, which is a must for everyone who likes the band.

What distinguishes Linkin Park from other nu-metal bands is that which causes the biggest controversy about them: While they have all the typical ingredients of the genre (angst-ridden lyrics, heavy riffs and sly grooves, rapping, scratching, etc.), they add a heavy dose of mainstream pop appeal to their music; a slick production and a knack for catchy melodies make them much less dangerous and aggressive than many of their colleagues. "One Step Closer" is the perfect example of their approach, even though the track is not significantly catchier or radio-friendlier than most of the other songs from their album HYBRID THEORY: It's a well-crafted pop song which stays in your head, even though it does not create a lot of friction. The CD single features two studio tracks which were not included on the original album, and they are even more pop than the aforementioned song: The mellow ballad "My December" does not even have a distorted guitar, but instead an introspective piano line can be heard. "High Voltage" is not quite as quiet, but shows still more restraint than anything on HYBRID THEORY. Both tracks are nice additions, especially the latter song with its orchestral feel. Still, people who disdain Linkin Park for their shamelessly commercial approach will find even more to dislike about them here. As a bonus, the "One Step Closer" video clip is included on the CD single, a funny, martial arts-inspired fantasy directed by Gregory Dark. The quality of the clip could have been better, though.

The sad thing about the fourth Crazy Town single, "Revolving Door", is the fact that, after the enormous success of the song "Butterfly," a smooth, immensely catchy pop ditty, the band seems to concentrate on its light side -- which, as a full listen to the album THE GIFT OF GAME quickly shows, is not exactly representative of the band's sound. On the album, heavy songs prevail, with the occasional soft song thrown in for good measure; however, the first two singles, "Toxic" and "Darkside", both fine exponents of the nu-metal genre, were largely ignored, and thus the band seems stuck to ballads. While these songs provide a good counterbalance on the album, a quick comparison of "Butterfly" and "Revolving Door" show just how similar the songs actually are. Just like its predecessor, "Revolving Door" features a soft, looped guitar lick and smooth beats, and displays the same relaxed mood. Whereas "Revolving Door" is not a bad song by any means, it too closely resembles "Butterfly" to be a real standout. The CD single features a remix by Jay Gordon of Orgy, the "Astro American Mix," which manages to be much better than the original: A great guitar riff, futuristic synth sounds, and a much more interesting rhythmic pattern make this version a winner, especially for repeated listening. The second bonus track is a live version of "Butterfly," which only serves as a reminder to avoid possible Crazy Town live albums: The smooth flow of the original gets totally lost, and the vocal delivery is extremely monotonous. Furthermore, a video of "Revolving Door" is included, directed by Gregory Dark, which is a nice bonus, even though the clip is not that good. There are dozens of gorgous women to be seen, but the video itself is somewhat silly, and listening to these guys is much more pleasant than actually seeing them.